The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-05-05


ton to amend Section Four, Ar
ticle Six, of the Constitution of the
State of Texas.
| Section 1. Be it resolved by the Leg
is allure of the State of Texas: That Sec
tion Four, of Article Six, of the Constitu
ton of the State of Texas, be so amended
as to hereafter read as follows:
Section 4. In all elections by the peo
pie the vote shall be by ballot, and the
Legislature shall provide for the number
ing of tickets, and make such other regu-
lations as may be necessary to detect and
punish fraud and preserve the purity of
the ballot-bOx; and the Legislature may
provide by law for the registration of all
voters in all cities continuing popula-
ton of ten thousand inhabitants or more,
and in such counties as the Legislature
may deem advisable.
Section 2. That the Governor of this
State shall issue his proclamation order
ing an election to be held on the hrst
Thursday in August, A. d. 1887, on this
amendment, in accordance with Article
Seventeen, Section One, of the Constitu-
ton; and those voting for the adoption
of this amendment shall have written or
printed on their ballots the words, "For
the amendment to Section Four, Article
Six, of the Constitution" and those
voting against the adoption of said
amendment shall have written or printed
on their ballots the words, against the
amendment to Section Four, Article Six,
of the Constitution"
Approved, April 4, 1887.
No. T. rs. J. R. No. 26. Joint Resolu
| Il Alon -~.,
stitution of the State of Texas.
Be it resolved by the Legislature of the
State of Texas, That Article Five of the
Constitution of the State of Texas shall
be so amended as to hereafter read as
follows:
ARTICLE FIVE.
| Section l. The judicial power of this
State shall be vested in one Supreme
Court, one Court of Appeals, in district
courts, aud in such inferior courts as may
from time to time be created by general
or special law.
Section 2. The Supreme Court shall
consist of such number of justices, not
less than five nor more than seven, as
may from time to time be determined by
the Legislature. Such justices shall be
elected by the qualified voters of the
State at general election, and shall hold
their offices for the term of six years.
Section g. The chief Justice and the
associate justices of the Supreme Court
who may be in Office when this amend
ment goes into effect, together with suf-
| ficient number to make the number of
five, shall constitute the Supreme Court
until such number shall be increased by
law. Upon the adoption of this amend
meut the Governor shall appoint sufi-
cient number of justices of the Supreme
Court, in addition to those who may be in
Office at the time, to make the number of
five, who shall hold their offices until the
next general election, The justices of
the Supreme Court w1o may be in office
when this amendment is adopted, shall
continue to serve until their terms of
Office expire by the Constitution and laws
under which they were elected
Section 4. The justices of the Supreme
Court shall select from their own number
a presiding officer, who shall be called the
chief Justice, and who shall hold for such
term and perform such duties as may be
prescribed by the court Provided, The
chief Justice who may be in office at the
time when this amendment shall take eff
feet shall be the chief justice of the Su-
preme Court hereby established until the
expiration of his term of Office under his
former election or appointment.
Section 5. Each justice of the Supreme
Court shall be qualified voter, shall have
arrived at the age of thirty years, and shall
have been practicing lawyer in this State,
or to Judge of district court therein, or
such Judge and lawyer together, at least
seven years at the time of his election or
appointment.
Section 6. Each Justice of the Supreme
Court shall receive an annual SALARY ofnot
more than three thousand sly Tired
dollars.
Section Z. The Supreme Court shall
have power, upon affidavit or otherwise,
as by the court may be thought proper,
to ascertain such matters of fact as may be
necessary to the exercise of its jurisdic-
ton.
Section s. The Supreme Court shall
have the power to make rules or procedure
for it's own government, and the govern
ment of the other courts of the State over
which it may have appellate jurisdiction:
Provided, Such rules shall not be incon-
sistent with the laws of the State.
Section 8. The Supreme Court shall
appoint clerk for each place at which it
may sit, who shall hold his office for four
years, subject to removal by the court,
and who shall give such bond as is or may
be prescribed by law.
Section 10. The Supreme Court shall
} sit for the transaction of business from
J the first Monday in September to the last
Saturday in June of every year, provided
, the business before it is not sooner dis
posed of, at the seat of gevernme Mt and
at not more than two other places in the
State.
Section IL. The Supreme Court may
! organize, for the more speedy dispatch
e of business, into such divisions as may be
3 deemed expedient, and under such rules
4 and regulations as may be prescribed by
the court.
r Section ~. The Supreme Court shall
D have appellate Jurisdiction of civil cases
$ proceedings and controversies, both as tc
y law and fact, with such exceptions and
: under such regulations as may be pro
l vided by law.
9 Section 10. The Supreme Court ant
the justice thereof shall have power tC
issue all writs known to the law which
may be necessary to the exercise of it,
/ jurisdiction, or to enforce the same; sale
n court shall also have power by mandamu'
e or otherwise to compel the district anC
inferior courts to proceed with the tria
Is.co : -